In Shmuel II 8:18 it says David's sons were "kohanim".
The Chabad translation describes them as "chief officers", but even the Rashi to it says the text literally says "priests".
How can this be?
Is there anywhere else in Tanach where "kohanim" does NOT mean priests? I was originally thinking that "kohanim" might have several meanings in the Text, like "elokim" can indicate a Divine name, or a judge, or some other human authority, but I couldn't find it used otherwise anywhere.
The author of Divrei HaYamim/Chronicles, writing later in time, "toned it down" a bit in I 18:17, saying the sons were "first at David's hand", a much more clear description of chief officers. This made me think the word used in the earlier text bothered him/her, also.
Are there any explanations/clarifications in the ancient or later literature that explain why the earlier, most likely more accurate author would use the term "kohanim" there?
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